Hydrolyzed Whey Protein
AKA “Whey Protein Hydrolysate”
Skin Conditioning
Ingredient Facts
Hydrolyzed whey protein
AKA: Whey Protein Hydrolysate
Skin Conditioning · Skin Conditioning · EWG: 4
Synthetic
Skin Conditioner
Not Clean
Hydrolyzed Whey Protein is the hydrolysate of Whey Protein derived by acid, enzyme or other method of hydrolysis
CAS #
-
Form
Powder
State
Solid
See origin →
Functions
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Locks in moisture
Traditional Use
Whey, a byproduct of cheese-making, was traditionally used in European folk medicine and skincare. Modern hydrolyzed whey protein was developed in the mid-20th century to provide skin-conditioning and moisturizing benefits in cosmetics.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Dryness
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
Hydrolyzed Whey Protein
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Epicutaneous immunogenicity of partially hydrolyzed whey protein evaluated using tape-stripped mouse model.
Iwamoto H, Matsubara T, Okamoto T, Yoshikawa M, Matsumoto T et al.
Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 2020
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR